Call 911 — do not wait
- Chest pain or pressure
- Sudden shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Signs of stroke: facial droop, arm weakness, slurred speech
- Fainting or unresponsiveness
Call the office promptly — (540) 667-8975
- Increasing redness, warmth, or drainage at the incision
- Fever over 101.5°F or shaking chills
- New calf pain, tenderness, or marked swelling in either leg
- Sudden worsening pain not controlled by your medication plan
- An incision that opens, or bleeding that does not stop with pressure
- Inability to bear weight that is new — not just soreness
- Numbness or weakness that is new or spreading
Normal — and usually not a cause for alarm
- Swelling and warmth around the joint for weeks after surgery
- Bruising that travels down the limb
- Soreness after increased activity
- Clicking sensations in a knee replacement
- Disrupted sleep and fatigue in the early weeks
When unsure, call
No symptom is too small to ask about. A two-minute phone call beats a week of worrying —
and the office would always rather hear from you early.